In a heist as slick as it is brazen, two men have been nabbed for fuel theft from a West Palm Beach Wawa gas station, making off with nearly 300 gallons of diesel before their plot ran out of gas. The West Palm Beach Police have arrested Jose Dayron Bravo Rodriguez, 34, and Eduardo Forteza Gutierrez, 30, for orchestrating a scheme that involved manipulating a fuel pump, thereby pocketing diesel fuel valued at roughly $1,091.72, as CW34 reports.
Details from the incident paint a picture of a prepared operation wherein Rodriguez and Gutierrez bypassed the gas station's payment system, using an electronic device to interrupt the metering system of the fuel pump, as NBC Miami detailed. The hook-up didn’t last long, however, as after 20 minutes, suspicion from the staff led to their arrest at the scene.
The plot thickened when authorities discovered a large fuel tank inside the van, coupled with a pulsar device—a tool commonly used in fuel thefts, on the driver’s side floorboard. "While conducting the inventory to tow, a large fuel tank was noticed inside the back of the van," the arrest report states, according to NBC Miami. This was not just a theft; it was a rolling hazard. Mike Jachles of the West Palm Beach Police remarked on the danger, telling CW34, "It's basically a bomb on wheels."
Community reactions, as collected by CW34, were of shock and disdain. Jacory Lewis, a Wawa customer, lamented the effect such acts have on fuel prices, expressing that, "Gas is really important and if you're really stealing it, if you're really stealing gas like that, then that's how gas prices rise." Their operation also caused approximately $1,500 in damages to the gas pump, an expense that could, unwittingly, be passed down to the common consumer. The manager of the Wawa store declined to comment and referred inquiries to the corporate office, which has yet to respond.
Both Rodriguez and Gutierrez have since been charged with retail fuel theft and criminal mischief, among other charges and, after posting a $15,000 bond each, have been released from jail. As the investigation continues, it appears the duo may have intended to sell the diesel on the black market, a lucrative but dangerous game they played at high stakes and near-explosive consequences.
